Rohan Mehta – not his real name – spent over $8,000 (£5,900) on flights in his scramble to get back to the US ahead of a deadline that would dramatically increase visa fees for some.
He had been in Nagpur, India, for the anniversary of his father’s death before he cut his trip short.
On Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order adding a $100,000 (£74,000) fee for applicants to the visa programme for skilled foreign workers, which US-based companies would have to pay.
Companies and immigration lawyers had already advised those on the H-1B visa who were outside the US to return before the order came into force on Sunday.
A day later, the White House clarified it would be a one-time fee and would not apply to current visa holders, but it was too late for some.
Workers from India receive by far the most skilled visas in the programme, at more than 70% of the 85,000 issued each year.
Despite the clarification posted on X by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, concern and confusion had already spread.
The BBC spoke to many H-1B visa holders from India.
Many have been working in the US for decades.
None wanted to be identified as they were not authorised by their employers. Many refused to speak to us entirely.
Rohan Mehta, a software professional, has lived in the US with his family for 11 years, but had travelled to Nagpur at the beginning of the month to see relatives commemorating his father’s death.
But on 20 September, he said he feared he would not be able to return to his home if he did not get back before the deadline.
He spent over $8,000 (£5,900) in eight hours booking and rebooking return flights to the US.
“I booked multiple options because most were cutting it very close,” he said just after he had boarded a Virgin Atlantic flight from Mumbai to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
“Even if there was a slight delay, I’d have missed the deadline.”
In its clarification, the White House said the new fee, which is more than 60 times the amount currently charged, would not be enforced until the next round of visa applications was approved.
Rohan Mehta described the last few days as “traumatic”, adding he was glad his wife and daughter had not come to India with him on this trip.
“I’m regretting the choices I’ve made in life. I gave the prime of my youth to working for this country [the US], and now I feel like I’m not wanted.
“My daughter has spent her entire life in the US. I’m not sure how I’ll uproot my life from there and start all over in India.”
The H-1B is a work visa programme for people looking to work in the US in specialised fields and roles. Employers are able to sponsor professionals to get them into the country with a job offer required for the application.
According to government statistics, the greatest beneficiary of the programme in the previous fiscal year was Amazon, followed by tech giants Tata, Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Google.
Another visa holder who was on holiday in Europe agreed there was confusion.
“We are yet to see how employers are thinking and how this will play out.
“From my understanding, the order is only for new H-1B visas. Immigration lawyers are still figuring it out and have advised us to go back.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X, clarifying some details, including that it would not be an annual fee, just a one-off.
She wrote: “Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country right now will not be charged $100,000 to re-enter.
“H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country to the same extent as they normally would.”
She added that the new fee would only apply to “new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders”.
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